Stanley 46 Cutter Box

913
19
After buying my Stanley 46 combo plane, I was looking on eBay for some cutters and stumbled upon a set that came with a cool triangular storage box.  I thought it was a little pricey and being a cheap bastard I didn't buy it.  I've always regretted that.  Luckily I saved a picture of it  (#5 above)  and finally decided to make myself one.  I figured out the dimensions and angles using Sketchup (6th picture).  After making one, I would do a few things differently if I were to make another but overall it turned out well.  The hardest part was fitting the back.  I probably made and trashed 4 of them before I finally got one that would fit well enough.   One problem is that because the ends of the cutters are skewed, they tend to lean and get in the way of the lid so I added some little wedged inserts that match the angle so that they stand up straight.   As I was finishing, it it occurred to me that if I put the lid on the table, it presents the cutters sort of horizontally.  Not sure I will use that way but we will see.  

The sides are made of spalted pecan and the top and and bottom are made from curly walnut that a friend gave me from a fireplace wood pile.  When I sliced it open, the figure was a pleasant surprise.  The walnut sort makes it look like a slice a marble cake with chocolate icing.  The finish is Tried and True Danish oil.    I bought a cheap clasp but it looked too shiny and cheap so I am still looking. 


--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

19 Comments

You are right in that looking ready to eat!

Does have a neat design for the task, that is fine looking tool storage 👍
Looks very cool Nathan.  I like the graduated size design.
now thats a cool looking storage box.

working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.

Nice, Nathan! And who doesn’t like cake?

May you have the day you deserve!

That is a neat idea and your resurrection came out great.
For the hinge, find a cheap zinc plated one, soak it is a vinegar solution and let it age.
In fact, that hinge may just be brass coated.

"Duck and Bob would be out doin some farming with funny hats on." chrisstef

Nice Nathan!  I need to make something for mine but yours is probably more ambitious than mine will be.

Cool tryangle(s) Lazy...  Gonna be a hassle snuggling it up in a drawer full of  parallelograms.

If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD

Awesome! I love the unique design…and I like cake so…

Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".

That is interesting

Petey

Thanks guys.  As I use it, one thing that I like over the flat boxes that you often see in combo plane sets is that the cutters  are easier to grab by the sides so there is less fumbling and tipping to get them out.    

Ducky, as long as the parallelograms have the same angle as this box, it will fit snugly in the drawer.   But now you've got me thinking that I need to make a non-square box for the plane itself.  

--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

Awesome cool tool storage, but an even better looking piece of pie, hinged even. Nice work Nathan. 
Thanks George.  

--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

Clever, functional and really great looking design!!!  can I have a piece?
Thanks Earl and Steve.  

Sorry Earl, the last piece is spoken for.  

--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.

Very nice looking storage box.

But, pointy end down for the Irons.
You inspired me Nathan.  I’m gonna start on a design when I have time for a “pie” that will have pieces to hold plane blades and scrapers😁  Mine will be 3D printed though.
Quite difficult to make, but still a piece of cake.

https://dutchypatterns.com/

That's a great way to think about it Dutchy.  

Kenny, I actually printed a prototype of this one but of just one side over a year ago.   I thought about printing a complete one but I really wanted one made out of wood.  For a while, I had these cutters laying on their side in the half prototype sort of like a file index.   I will be interested to see the design you come up with.   

--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.